Climate Change Impacts on Urban Areas and Infrastructure

Abstract

In recent decades, climate change (CC) impacts on human settlements have been manifested worldwide. Such impacts arise from CC risks, notably sea level rise (SLR), desertification, drought, extreme events, food security, increased health risks and temperature-related morbidity in urban environments. Existing trends towards urbanization have been witnessed due to the negative impacts of climate change on rural livelihoods. However, settlement patterns’ changes may not only be restricted to the socially vulnerable but also will be extended to coastal areas’ dwellers and SLR, which will force people to migrate to unaffected areas. Large population movements caused by deteriorated environmental conditions may lead to conflict through competition for resources in the receiving area. It may also contribute to the failure of infrastructure and services’ provision. This chapter investigates the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on urban areas and infrastructure. The indirect impacts are reflected on the built environment and consequently on the economy of urban and rural regions. Moreover, the chapter explores whether all climate change risks occurred or not. Finally, it determines the continents that are most exposed to climate change risks related to the built environment and, thus, addresses the direct and indirect impacts on the built environment with a wider view about climate change consequences.

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